Angela Rafuse / Facebook Woman Begins New Nonprofit to Aid Pets Whose Owners Are Near the End of Life Byron Rafuse refused to go to the hospital for a health matter because he was concerned about who would care for his late wife's cat. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal January 12, 2022
G'day Khala / Facebook screen shot After Receiving Major Christmas Surprise, Waitress Gets Fired for Accepting Kindest Gift Ever The customer made it clear that it was not his intention to have the tip pooled; he went to the restaurant and got his tip back. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal December 20, 2021
@greg_doucette / Twitter North Carolina Costco Rings Up Its Single Largest Transaction Ever - for a Good Cause A North Carolina community's generosity resulted in a record at the local Costco store - a transaction of more than $100,000. By Jack Davis, The Western Journal December 17, 2021
Justin W. Inman / Facebook screen shot Thief Steals SUV with Dog Inside: Owners Search Nearly a Month Before Finding Her Near Bridge The dog had lost a 'huge percentage' of her weight, but after a health check at an emergency vet, she was found to be in good condition. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal December 15, 2021
@TheOrdonezTimes / Twitter screen shot Man Shows Up in the Middle of Storm-Ravaged Kentucky with Grill and Truckload of Food As Mayfield, Kentucky, began to sort through the rubble, the community response has inspired hope amidst the damage. By Grant Atkinson, The Western Journal December 15, 2021
Stratham Fire Department / Facebook screen shot New Hampshire Firefighters Rescue Two Men and Dog Trapped in Mud Flats at Low Tide One of the men in particular had stepped too close to the water and became trapped in waist-deep mud. His hunting partner called for help. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal December 15, 2021
White Lake Township Police / Facebook screen shot After Boy Survives Brutal Dog Mauling, Police Promise to Throw Him the 'Best Christmas Ever' The 9-year-old was torn up from head to toe, his body was covered in 75 lacerations and his skull was fractured. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal December 15, 2021
Navarro Farm / Facebook Educational Farm Throws Magical Christmas Party for People with Special Needs The night on the farm looked positively magical, with reindeer, plenty of twinkling lights, food, fun - and lots of smiles. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal December 13, 2021
@GoCajunNavy / AP 'Cajun Navy' on the Ground to Aid Those Hit by Devastating Storms in Kentucky, Establishing SAFE Camp “There’s a gap from the weather event to when the cavalry really shows up and that’s the hole we try to fill," Cajun Navy spokesperson Brian Trascher said. By Randy DeSoto December 13, 2021
Ohio Virtual Academy / Facebook screen shot Siblings Make Unbelievable Christmas Donation Through Nationwide Children's Hospital They turned to their online public school, the Ohio Virtual Academy, which has over 18,000 students across the state. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal December 12, 2021
Lynette Herrera / Facebook screen shot Military Dog Stranded After Heroic Service, Desperate for Ride Home to New Family So far many have donated to the retired military dog's cause. Maybe they'll help pull off a Christmas miracle. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal December 3, 2021
@WYNT / Twitter screen shot Army Veteran Spreads Holiday Cheer to Texas Troops Celebrating Christmas Away from Family Christmas tree farms are sending trees to service members as a gesture of appreciation for their devotion to America. By Jack Davis, The Western Journal December 1, 2021
U.S. LawShield / YouTube screen shot Suspect Pins Officer and Things Look Bad Until an Armed Citizen Steps In Acting in self-defense and defense of another are two instances in which the use of deadly force can be justified. By Randy DeSoto, The Western Journal December 1, 2021
Garvin Thomas NBC Bay Area / Facebook screen shot Jogger Spots Smoke While on Run, Takes Immediate Action After Realizing What's Trapped Inside House Thanks to a brave jogger and a Ring doorbell system, a family's home and pets were saved from a fire. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal November 17, 2021
@Jamalhinton12 / Twitter Years After Mistaken Thanksgiving Invite, Accidental Tradition Continues It was 17-year-old Jamal Hinton who had received the wayward invite, but what started as a mistake has ended in a deep friendship. By The Western Journal November 17, 2021
KHON2 News / Facebook 12-Year-Old Boy Scout on Hike Rigs Ingenious Contraption, Saves Injured Dog and Helps Lost Hikers Many people have commended the boy and his mother, and suggested that the hike he completed might be worth more than one merit badge. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal November 15, 2021
City of West Police Department / Facebook 'Amazing': 7-Year-Old Girl Personally Raises Over $1,700 for Local First Responders At first, her goal was to raise $100 - but she had to reset the goal after people fell in love with her vision. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal November 8, 2021
Ashlee Gadd / Facebook screen shot After Suffering Miscarriage, Woman Shows What True Friendship Means With Thoughtful Text Thankfully, Anna Quinlan, Gadd's friend of 10 years, knew just how to come alongside and support her friend. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal November 2, 2021
Chris Person / Facebook screen shot 'Faith in Humanity Restored' after Teens Return Found Wallet and Strike Up Friendship with Owner Roseanne - Chris' 72-year-old mother - even reviewed footage from store surveillance cameras with the manager, but no dice. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal November 1, 2021
Orange Beach Surf Rescue / Facebook Lifeguard Volunteers to Carry 95-Year-Old to Beach Each Day After Finding Out About Her Vacation Plans The assistance was a blessing to the woman's daughter, who said she got to enjoy the trip more as a family member and less as a caregiver. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal October 29, 2021
US Coast Guard Sector Key West / Facebook Boat Explodes on Maiden Voyage, Onlookers Scramble in Shocking Rescue While it certainly wasn't a pleasant welcome to the area, the couple was blessed to have made it out of the disaster with minor injuries. By Amanda Thomason, The Western Journal October 22, 2021